Calgary Traffic

[Robbob]

Link isn't working...I do recall A Channel a few years back doing a story on it though.

[Bill Bumface]

Originally Posted by fredr123

Maybe not the best place to ask it but what the heck. On Centre street north of 16th up to Beddington (and a few other places too) I have noticed these bluish purpley LED lights mounted above the pedestrian walk signals. What the heck are they there for?

I always thought these were for emergency vehicles to change traffic lights, but I'm not positive.

[Ironhorse]

Originally Posted by Mr.Coffee

Could the city consider a sky train like Vancouver has? Anybody here feel that that would be feasible, cheaper and probably less of a construction issue then digging up downtown?

See the city of Chicago to see how this would be a fairly ugly proposition. I don't think Vancouver's skytrain has anywhere near the ridership numbers that the C-Train has, does it?

[Sample00]

Many years ago in Calgary a company/businessperson offered to build a monorail type system that would have run from the Calgary International Airport to Downtown Calgary.

The city turned it down for whatever reason. You have to wonder why...

[Mr.Coffee]

But why wouldn't it?

[Tron_fdc]

wierd....link doesn't work now.

[Bring_Back_Shantz]

Originally Posted by Sample00

Many years ago in Calgary a company/businessperson offered to build a monorail type system that would have run from the Calgary International Airport to Downtown Calgary.

The city turned it down for whatever reason. You have to wonder why...

Probably because a monorail is more of a Shelbyville idea.

[I wanna be like Miikka]

A ctrain out west would fix sooooo many problems on that travel. Right now it is impossible to go through downtown or the packed 16th ave. Once all these road constructions are done I think we need to get the ctrain expanded. I heard about a 20 year plan some 10 years ago, does anybody know if this still exists and where we are at with it?

[lazy_programmer]

Originally Posted by Bring_Back_Shantz

Probably because a monorail is more of a Shelbyville idea.

hahaha, my first thought too. Is there nothing that can't be referenced back to the Simpsons?

[Reaper]

Originally Posted by I wanna be like Miikka

A ctrain out west would fix sooooo many problems on that travel. Right now it is impossible to go through downtown or the packed 16th ave. Once all these road constructions are done I think we need to get the ctrain expanded. I heard about a 20 year plan some 10 years ago, does anybody know if this still exists and where we are at with it?

Lots of info on this site:

http://members.shaw.ca/lrtincalgary/

[Eagle Eye]

Originally Posted by Reaper

Now if you really want to talk about awaited C Train leg, the ones I'm looking forward to are the 204 North Leg and the 205 Airport Leg that would originate from the Calgary Zoo station on a new line. This would effectively connect downtown to the airport and northern end of the city. It could encourage more transit commuting from Airdrie residents who work in Calgary as well.

Those lines (which are not even being planned or even concrete) will be the last lines to be built.

I think you are getting those legs from a website (a great one detailing the CTrain), where the owner proposed these lines based on his interpretations. They would be a great addition to the CTrain system but the West line and SE line (which supposedly will go under 2nd street to Eau Claire) are the two most important right now.

edit - Oh sorry I see that you provided a link to said website, thanks ^^

[Eagle Eye]

dp

[Mr.Coffee]

That website is insane!! If that guy's reports about the predicted extensions are true, that would be unreal. I particularly liked this image..

[toonmaster]

Originally Posted by fredr123

Maybe not the best place to ask it but what the heck. On Centre street north of 16th up to Beddington (and a few other places too) I have noticed these bluish purpley LED lights mounted above the pedestrian walk signals. What the heck are they there for?

as said prior, they are used for emergency vehicles as well as buses during high conjestion time to maintain the timing on routes and get people places on time

Originally Posted by MacDougalbry

What I've noticed is that road construction projects out here seem to be horribly managed. I live near Bow and Sarcee and it seems like most of the time I see very little activity on the construction site. Same thing when they were building the Shawville overpass on South MacLeod. Seems like they go and close a whole bunch of lanes and then go off and pick their noses for a week. Here's a radical idea: how about working through the night to get these projects finished.

in most cases it is illegal to work through the night, especially on road projects

special arrangements need to be made, special personnel must be present, which includes the engineers of the project who are so backed up with other projects that it is not feasable.

also as I-Hate-Hulse said, the labour market is stretch beyond belief, and has been for years, along with the amount of different shifts needed to keep rolling through the night and the substantial costs it requires, it isn't workable

everone has a budget to follow, and those budgets have to be kept to the minimum

[toonmaster]

i remember talks way back when, about having a high speed train running from the okotoks/high river areas into south calgary and connecting with the current southbound route

[shane_c]

Any idea when they will start construction on the SE line of the LRT? I know they have signs next to 52nd St in McKenzie Towne saying future LRT but nothing to say when it'll start.

[ken0042]

2018 is when the one near Hyde street is due to open.
http://www.calgarytransit.com/selrt_study.html

[Bobblehead]

They are going like crazy on the NE extension, at least they were until the recent storms. Even the pictures on that website dated May are now out of date. Part of 36th St is closed this weekend for more work.

[Cube Inmate]

Originally Posted by Reaper

Perhaps they aren't operational because of all the construction on the interchange? Perhaps it would be a waste of money to run cabling and lines only to pull them up when traffic is diverted? I'm sure the city wouldn't do it just to **** you off...

I do not suggest the city does things to **** me off... I suggest that they don't do the "little things" that would help alleviate some of the suffering of commuters when it would be relatively easy to do. Connection of a traffic camera requires a small battery, a solar panel, and a wireless modem...those cost a hell of a lot less than the thousands (millions?) of dollars lost by commuters stuck in traffic.

If they're not going to set it up, why bother showing it on the "traveller's info" webpage? It's just inconsiderate.

[ken0042]

Just curious CI, are you sure this is a wireless device? Perhaps they are just in the process of getting it set up, and while it wouldn't cost a lot to get this one thing done, how many hundreds of these "one things" are involved in a project of this scale?

You asked earlier why the project is taking 4 years, but now you are wondering why they don't do a few things more than once?

It's like moving into a house, do you do the move first, then unpack? or do you unpack each box as it comes in so that you have access to your cheese grater the moment it comes into the house?

For me, I look at it like they closed down the area, and find other ways around. The fact that they are keeping it as open as they are is part of the reason it's taking so long. I'm sure if they shut it right down they could have it all done in 18 months.